Interesting find on New Beauty

I read this on new Beauty this morning and thought it was very interesting.... 

Do Skin Tone and Age Affect Your Smile?

Posted Tuesday, August 09, 2011 by NewBeauty Staff

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, skin tone and teeth are inversely related. Meaning the lighter your skin is, the more likely you are to have darker teeth, and inversely, the darker your skin is, the more likely you are to have lighter teeth. These are actual teeth shade measurements, not the eyes’ perception of contrast.

Additionally, as we age, the teeth go through a natural process of erosion, mainly caused by eating. That thinning of the enamel and loss of surface texture leads to translucency, revealing the dentin, or porous yellow tissue underneath the enamel. “It’s like the difference between polished glass and rough glass. The smoother the surface, the easier it is to see through,” says Beverly Hills, CA, cosmetic dentist Laurence R. Rifkin, DDS. “Younger teeth have more surface texture and roughness, which reflects more light, making them more opaque and brighter.”